Things Customers Notice You Forget to Clean

Attention Cleaning Professionals: You're only one missed spot away from losing a customer. Let that sink in.

We know you won't be skipping over the obvious: toilets, showers, stovetops, etc. But with so many spaces and places to clean, what are the spots that have your customer's saying, "I wish they would have cleaned that," or, "they missed a spot."?

It's the little things that matter so that's why we've asked cleaning professional Joanna Martin, owner of Winston Salem Cleaning Service, to share the most common areas that are forgotten about when cleaning. She'll also share how she prioritizes and customizes her list of cleaning tasks to cater specifically to her customer's needs.

Her main piece of advice: "The best way to spot any of these commonly forgotten details is to pretend you live in the house."

Add these to your home or residential cleaning checklist! Learn from a pro like Joanna, and start cleaning like a pro today.

8 Commonly Missed Spots in Customers' Homes

Have you ever worked hard on a cleaning project, only to miss one little detail? Even more frustrating is that once the customer spots that single missed detail, they might conclude that the whole job was poorly done.

Depending on where your customer lives and what are their specific living situations (do they have pets or kids?), the cleaning issues will vary. But even with that being said, here are some of the most frequently missed spots we've noticed and how to take care of them.

Bathroom Soap & Shampoo Bottle Rings

An area that is commonly missed when cleaning is underneath soap and shampoo bottles. These damp rings of soap scum can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.

Lift the bottles, and wipe the base of the bottle. Then wipe the shelf (surface) and replace the bottles to their original spots. Better yet, declutter all surfaces before you begin cleaning to make cleaning more streamlined.

Bathroom Vent Fan Build Up

In some households, the bathroom vent is on constantly. So the amount of dust that collects there can be quite astounding.

Use a damp microfiber towel or a chenille mop for high-up vents to pick up the dust build-up on a vent fan. Do this step before you clean the shower!

Shower Head Build-Up

This is a tricky one, because you have to be in the shower to see it! So stand under the shower head amd look up. If there's any kind of build-up on the shower head, clean it up.

Usually a firm bristle brush is enough to clean the soils. But if it's stubborn, add some hydrogen peroxide cleaner, or wrap a plastic ziplock filled with white distilled vinegar over the head and attach it with a rubber band. Allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then scrub again. Remember to turn the shower on (preferably after you have stepped out!) to rinse it when done.

Shower Door Slime

Shower glass is the bane of most house cleaners' existences. The lower gasket or lip of the shower door will build up a thriving colony of dark and scary microorganisms!

A damp disposable microfiber wipe should get the gunk off, but if not, try a gentle but effective scrubber sponge. If you remember to do this every time, it will stay clean and manageable.

Read Now: The Fastest Way to Clean Showers and Tubs

Refrigerator & Freezer Door Gaskets

Unless cleaning the inside of the appliances is on your regular schedule, the door gaskets are normally not seen. However they are an ideal spot for crumbs to collect.

To clean the gaskets, wipe them down with a mild soapy solution and a microfiber cloth.

Kitchen Cabinet "Toe-Kick Tumbleweeds"

The cabinet toe-kick is prone to cobwebs and pet fur congregating. It's one of those areas where, if you don't clean it regularly, it can get out of hand and become a "birds nest" of dust and debris.

A flexible extension duster with the end cocked up to face underneath of the cabinet is your best bet to sweep them away.

Living Room "Hidden Dust"

When finished cleaning a living area, sit down on the couch and take a few seconds to look around. From this level, you will likely spot dust on the lamps where the knob is, smudges on the glass coffee table that are not visible from above, crumbs under couches, a cobweb hanging from the ceiling fan, and so on.

This is what the homeowner may see when they sit down to relax at the end of the day. Take these few seconds to bring your quality of service to a new level!

Bedroom Baseboards

Bedrooms can be very dusty, but it can be hard to notice the dust in some bedrooms that are lowly lit or have a lot of furniture. Baseboards are the top accumulation points for dust in these rooms.

Use this baseboard mop or an extension duster to get hard to reach areas behind the nightstands, backs of TV screens, and behind the doors.

Read Now: The Best Way to Clean Baseboards

Do a Final Walk-Through

The walk-through is a final check, done either by the technician who cleaned the room, or better yet, their partner.

What are you looking for?

Details. Depending on your climate, customer preference, and experience, these details may vary. For example, here in the south, we have high humidity. This means we have to be very diligent about streaks on glass doors or mirrors. When the weather finally, (finally!) cools, spiderwebs are a top priority.

In homes with pets, fur tumbleweeds will hide under furniture and behind doors. Children leave their mark on door frames and refrigerator doors. We customize a walk-through list for each home we clean, but after a while, you will learn some of the most frequently missed spots.

The best way to spot any of these commonly forgotten details is to pretend you live in the house. In other words, put yourself in a position to see what the homeowner sees….

Have an Exit Strategy

Sometimes it is not practical to walk over the freshly vacuumed carpet or mopped hardwood floor, so you’ll need to do the walk through as you go. Before you vacuum or mop, carefully look at your work, paying attention to the areas mentioned.

ALWAYS carry a clean microfiber cloth (we love the MWPro Multi-Surface Cleaning Towel) with you to quickly clean anything you find in the walk through. Turn off lights, replace area rugs, tidy pillows, throw rugs, remotes, and magazines.

Finally, check the actual entry doors. Fingerprints? Smudges on glass? Crumbs under rug? Make it your goal to impress your customers every time they come home!

Our curated cleaning kit for professionals

We’ve curated a cleaning kit of our top products that our professional cleaning customers purchase over and over again. It contains three full days’ worth of high quality supplies for one cleaner, including four types of microfiber towels, microfiber dusters, scrubbers, heavy duty mops, and a laundry bag.

All this would usually cost you $500. Get it for $299.

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Written by

Em Rey

Content Contributor at

Microfiber Wholesale

Em is an experienced content writer and strategist, creating engaging and informative content for lifestyle, home, and beauty publications over the past eight years.

Her passion for eco-friendly cleaning aligns with the growing demand for sustainable solutions, and she’s a strong advocate for microfiber products due to their efficiency and environmental benefits.

Em’s in-depth knowledge of the cleaning industry and commitment to promoting green initiatives make her an ideal partner for crafting content that resonates with professional cleaners.

When she’s not creating content, you'll find her with a toddler in tow either outdoors, somewhere near water, or baking.